Dishwasher valve



March 17, 1942. l J. H. REIFENBERG ET AL 2,276,670

DISHWASHER VALVE Filed Feb. 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 wmwssszs; INVENTORS Joseph H. Reifenberg & Lewis J. agreemzwal t.

ATTORNE Patented Mar. 17, 1942 DISHWASHER VALVE Joseph H. Reifenberg and Lewis J. Greenawalt, Mansfield, hio, assignors to Westinghouse Electric. &

Manufacturing Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation Company, East of Pennsylvania Application February 15, 1940, Serial No. 319,082

2 Claims.

Our invention relates to dishwashers, and more particularly to a rotating valve for such structures.

An object of our invention is to provide a rotating valve which is positive and easy to operate under all types of water conditions which might be encountered in, say, adishwasher.

Another object of our invention is to provide a rotating valve which may be operated with a small movement of an operating knob.

A further object of our invention is to provide a rotating valve having a rotating valve plate adapted to be operated by means of suitable members which apply a tangential force relatively near the outer periphery thereof.

Other objects of our invention will either be pointed out specifically in the course of the following description of a "device embodying ourinvention, or will be apparent from such description.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is an elevational and partial sectional view of a dishwasher embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line IIII of Fig. "1 and Fig. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2, an operating knob and necessary levers being also illustrated.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate like parts in several figures, we show a dishwasherstructure Ill having the usual impeller I2 and operating motor I4 therefor, and a valve structure I6 for draining the Washing fluid from such structure, comprising generally a valve seat structure I8, arotatable plate-like valve 20, anoperating knob l2 and intermediate operatingm'embers including a rotatable pin 22, arm 24 and link 26.

The dishwasher structure I I], comprises, in this instance, an outer frame or housing 28, and an inner container'or structure 30 with the impeller I2 and motor I4 rigidly attached thereto at the bottom portion thereof. In addition, a'suitable pump mechanism 32 is rotatably positioned within the washing machine structure and isattached to a central shaft of impeller I2'so'as 'to rotate therewith, in a'well-knownm'anner. Such piunp is rotatably positioned Within the valve seat structure I 8 beneath thevalve plate 20.

It is to be understood, however, that .the valve structure hereinafter described and operatively associated with the washing machine-structure I0 may be operatively"associated with any other suitable structure;

The valve structure It comprises a pump housduring the rotative operation of such impeller ing or annular valve seat structure I8 which is rigidly attached to th container 30 of the dishwasher structure I2 in any suitable manner, such as by a clamping or supporting plate 34 disposed intermediate valve structure I6 and motor I 4. In addition, the rotatable circular plate-like valve 20 is rotatably mounted upon the valveseat structure I8. The rotatable valve 20-is independent of the impeller I2 and pump structure 32 so that such valve remains in a relatively fixed position and pump structure. In other words, the impeller I2 and pump 32 are free to rotate while the valve plate 20 remains in a fixed position.

The valve seat structure l8 comprises a substantially dish-shaped member which in addition to supporting the valve 20 is adapted to receive the pump structure 32, see Figs. 1 and 3. The valve seat structure is adapted to fit partially within the lower portion of the container 30 of the dishwasher structure I0 and to extend downwardly therefrom. The axis of such valve seat is, in this instance, located substantially coaxially with the dishwasher structure. Such valve seat structure is likewise adapted to support or position the motor I4 through the cooperation of'mem'ber 34.

A substantially horizontal inwardly extending flat annular ledge or valve seat 36'is located within the inner portion of the valve seat structure I8 and functions as the valve seat. Such ledge 36 is adapted to receive the rotatable valve 20 as hereinafter described. A plurality of radially extending notches 38 are formed within the ledge 36 of structure I8 and are adapted to permit passage of washing fluid downwardly into the pump chamber whereby the pump structure 32 may expel such fluid from the washing machine, in the usual manner. A perforated or spider-like member'39 is positioned between the valv 20 and the pump structure 32 to more clearly define the upper limits of the pump chamber and to prevent any large material from damaging the pump structure 32. A

The p1ate-like valve 20 stance, a substantially fiat circular disc-like member having a plurality of apertures 40 located about its periphery and wholly within such plate. The apertures 40 are adapted to cooperate With the notches 38 to permit the passage or drainage of fluid therethrough when suchapertures are positioned above the notches 38 in valve seat I8. However, if the plate be rotated as hereinafter described, so that the apertures 40 are' located above the unnotched portions of ledge comprises, in this in- 36, the plate then prevents the passage of fluid therethrough, thus acting as a valve. The plate 20 is mounted coaxially with the motor shaft, impeller and valve seat structure I8 and is adapted to be rotated independently of such impeller and pump structure.

The plate-like valve 20 has a centrally located upwardly extending cylindrical sleeve portion 2|. This portion functions as an overflow device, and in cooperation with the rotating impeller l2, limits the quantity of washing fluid within the container 30, in a well-known manner.

The valve 24 is selectively rotated, from one operative position to another, by means of a tangential force applied thereto by an operating knob 42, located outside the dishwasher housing 28 at a conveniently high level, through the cooperation of intermediate members, as hereinafter described.

A vertically extending aperture '44 is located Within the valve seat structure 18 relatively near the periphery thereof (see Figs. 1 and 3). Such aperture is adapted to receive a small shaft 22 which extends therethrough and rotates therein. The shaft 22 is connected to the operating knob 42 by means of a crank arm 46 at its lower end, a twisted lever 48, crank plate 58 and vertically extending arm 52 which is, in turn, rigidly attached to such control knob 42. The shaft 22 is operatively associated with the valve 29 at its other or upper end by means of the crank arm 24 and link 2%, as hereinafter described. The shaft 22 by passing through the valve seat structure i8 is thus adapted to transmit the movements of the control knob 42 to the platelike valve 23 even though such valve be located within the inner structure 30 of the dishwasher.

The lower or operating end of the shaft 22 has one end of the crank arm 46 rigidly attached thereto. The other end of crank arm 46 is loosely or rotatably attached to arm 48 which, in turn, is rotatably attached to movable crank plate 50. Said crank plate is suitably secured to the casing structure '28 by means of a bracket 29, in a wellknown manner. The arm 48 is adapted to move substantially in a horizontal plane towards or away from the valve structure I2, in response to the movements of crank plate 50. The horizontal movements of arm 48 are thus changed into rotative movements of shaft 22 through the action of crank arm 46.

The arm =28 is selectively moved in a horizontal direction through the crank plate 50 by means of the vertically extending arm 52 which is adapted to extend upwardly within the casing structure or outer portion 28 of the dishwasher structure. The arm 52 is rigidly attached, at its upper end, to the operating knob 42, and may be moved in a vertical direction by means of such operating knob 42. The vertical movements of operating knob 42 are'limited by slot :53 in the outer portion 28 of the dishwasher structure.

The crank arm 24 is rigidly attached to theupper end of the shaft 22 so as to rotate the rewith. Such arm extends inwardly from the shaft 22 toward the valve 20 in substantially a horizontal plane and is located above such valve. A suitable rivet or hinging pin 25 is attached to the free end of the arm 24 to rotatably receive an end of the intermediate link 26. The second end of the link 26 is rotatably attached to a pin 54 attached to plate 20. Such pin is positioned relatively near to the periphery of the plate 20.

The link 26 is thus loosely attached to both the plate 20 and the arm 24.

The pin 54 is positioned with respect to the crank arm 24 and rotatable shaft 22 so that the force transmitted thereby to the plate 20, through the link 26, will be substantially along a tangent to the plate 20 at the point nearest to such pin 54 (see Fig. 2). It, therefore, follows that because of the tangential cooperation between the link 26 and valve 20, such link will transmit the force delivered by the shaft 22 to the valve with a maximum efiiciency, and that valve 20 will be moved a maximum amount with a minimum movement of control knob 42.

It furtherfollows that if knob 42 be moved downwardly, from an open to a closed position, the arm 52 likewise will be moved downwardly. Accordingly, the arm 48 will be moved towards the right, as shown in Fig. 3, this, in turn, rotating the shaft 22 in a counterclockwise direction. The valve 20 is, therefore, rotated in a clockwise direction through the upper crank arm 24 and link 26 from an open to a closed position. It is merely necessary to move the operating knob 42 upwardly to cause the reverse action of the shaft 22 and valve 2|] to result therefrom. Such valve would then be in an open position (see Fig. 2)

It, therefore, follows that assuming the operating knob to be in its uppermost position with the valve 29 located in its open position (see Figs. 2 and 3), the knob is moved to its lower position to move the valve plate 29 to its closed position.

With the valve in its open position, the apertures 40 are in line with the notches 38, and with the valve in its closed position the apertures 40 are positioned to one side of the notches 38 and are located between successive notches and. above the ledge 36 in the valve seat structure l8.

It is, therefore, obvious that we have provided a suitable operating structure for a rotating valve structure which is actuated by means 'of a relatively small movement of an operating knob and which rotates the valve. as a result of a link being attached thereto so as to be substantially parallel to a line tangent to the valve plate at the point nearest the attachment of such link to the valve. Further, through such tangential arrangement of the intermediate link, it follows that a minimum movement is required by the operating knob and a minimum force is necessary to move the valve plate from one position to another.

While we have shown our invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and we desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A dishwasher casing, a valve disposed at the lower end thereof, an operating member mounted on a vertical wall of said casing for up and down movement, said valve including a substantially horizontal valve seat, a valve plate rotatably mounted thereon, a rotatable shaft mounted substantially normal to said valve plate, means operating in a substantially horizontal plane for transmitting movements of said operating member to said shaft, and link means joining the shaft and valve together for transferring the movements of said shaft tangentially to said valve plate.

2. A dishwasher casing, a valve disposed at the lower end thereof including a valve seat structure, a valve plate adapted to rotate within said seat into an operative and an inoperative position, and a pivot about which said Valve rotates, a rotatable shaft journalled in said valve seat structure, a lever attached to said shaft on one side of said structure and movable with said shaft, means attached to said shaft on the opposite side of said structure for rotating said lever and said shaft, and link means loosely attached to said lever and to said plate for transmitting the movements of said means to said plate, said link being attached to the plate so as to be substantially parallel to the line tangent to the plate at the point nearest the attachment of said link to said plate.

JOSEPH H..REIFENBERG. LEWIS J. GREENAWALT. 

